12TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
An Interview with
Chief Judge Charles Roberts
I had the pleasure of interviewing Chief Judge Charles Roberts over Zoom on a variety of topics including , his background , what inspired him to become a judge , and the how the coronavirus has affected our court system . Chief Judge Roberts was a pleasure to talk to , and it was clear from his answers that he has a passion for his profession and helping others . The Sarasota County Bar Association is thankful that Chief Judge Roberts took the time out of his busy schedule to sit down for an interview with The Docket .
Where are you originally from ? Washington DC .
How long have you been a judge ? I became a judge nineteen years ago , and I currently preside over Drug Court and Mental Health Court in Sarasota County and Manatee County .
What type of law were you practicing before you became a judge ? I worked for the state attorney ’ s office for 21 years in Charlotte County . I was also the lead prosecutor for the homicide division of Sarasota County .
What inspired you to become a judge ? As an advocate for a number of years , I watched a lot of judges in action and watched how they presided over their courtrooms . I tried to model myself after the judges who evaluated all aspects of the case . I believe that all judges should be both thorough and fair , which is how I try to preside over my courtroom every day .
What aspect of being a judge gives you the most satisfaction ? Being a judge in Drug Court , I ’ ve seen a lot of success stories of people that overcame addiction and mental health issues . I ’ ve watched people I was familiar with in my days as a prosecutor , who had issues with substance and abuse and addiction , turn their lives around . Although the court system issues punishments , it can help people with substance abuse problems get on the right track and reduce recidivism rates . I also appreciate it when a defendant leaves my courtroom feeling like they were given a fair hearing and an opportunity to be heard even when they are found guilty . It helps the community have trust in the court system .
What has been the most challenging aspect of the coronavirus pandemic for the Sarasota and Manatee County ’ s court system ? The biggest challenge during coronavirus was to keep all the cases moving while keeping everyone in the courtroom safe . For an entire year , we had no jurors . The virus created a backlog of cases , which all need to be addressed now that we are almost fully operational . We had to have all our judges and staff learn how to use Zoom . As the number of Coronavirus cases has gone down , our court system in Florida has done a great job of catching up with all the backlogged cases . I keep close tabs on the number of Coronavirus cases we have in Florida and the recommendations of medical experts .
“ We have greater restrictions than most other circuits in our state . That ’ s because I want our jurors and staff to feel safe and secure . Hopefully , the numbers continue to improve , and we can remove some of those restrictions . I believe that most of the jurors are satisfied with the coronavirus restrictions we currently have in place .”
Do you believe we will continue to have the majority of hearings via Zoom even after the pandemic is over ? Judges and attorneys all like Zoom , and I believe it is here to stay . To what degree is still to be determined . We still have the option of Zoom hearings because of orders by the Florida Supreme Court . However , I am not sure what the Florida Supreme Court ’ s Rules Committee will do when the pandemic is under control . I personally believe a lot can be done by Zoom with agreements between parties . It helps attorneys avoid having to drive long distances to courtrooms , and ultimately saves some of their clients money .
26 | THE DOCKET - JANUARY 2022